1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric connector, and particularly to an electric connector which can completely insert a male connector housing into a female connector housing provided with many plugs and sockets, respectively, by simply rotating a cam mounted on one of the connector housings with small force to secure complete electrical contact therebetween.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Since insertion frictional force increases as the number of plugs and the number of corresponding sockets of an electric connector increases, the force required for connecting and disconnecting a male connector housing and a female connector housing also increases. Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 52-40992 (1977) discloses an electric connector in which the force required for connecting and disconnecting both connector housings is decreased. In this electric connector, a lever and a link connected thereto are provided on the outer periphery of a male connector housing so that a pin at an end of the link is inserted into a pin receiving portion provided on the-outer periphery of a female connector housing. When the lever is rotated, the male connector housing is moved to be forced into the female connector housing by the principle of the lever to achieve complete electric contact therebetween. When the lever is rotated in the reverse direction, the male connector housing is moved to be separated from the female connector housing, and the male connector housing can easily be drawn out therefrom.
However, such an electric connector has the disadvantages that it has a complicated shape in which the lever projects outwardly from the connector housings, and that since the length of the lever cannot be sufficiently increased, the force to operate the lever cannot be sufficiently decreased. The electric connector also has the danger that when the lever strikes on a substance, the link pin is separated from the pin receiving portion, and the connection between the male and female connector housings is made incomplete, thereby deteriorating electric contact therebetween.